


Seasons change

by snarknoir19



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Developing Friendships, F/M, Female Friendship, Finn/Rey (past) - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-08
Updated: 2020-09-08
Packaged: 2021-03-07 07:41:15
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,681
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26349517
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/snarknoir19/pseuds/snarknoir19
Summary: Finn might be moving on.
Relationships: Zorii Bliss/Finn
Comments: 5
Kudos: 2





	Seasons change

**Author's Note:**

> This will be Finn-centric and will feature 0% kylo Rapeypants. Hopefully. But who knows? Somehow that whiny drama queen seems to appear when least expected. If he does, rest assured it won’t go well for him. And no, Finn won’t be found running around in wide eyed terror and screaming anyone’s name.

The blue sky stretched endlessly, dotted with violet hued clouds low on the horizon. 

Jannah and Rose were seated on the low hill overlooking the small resistance camp. It was one of the few truly lovely days this region of the planet was likely to offer and the two friends had chosen to take their breakfast on the nearby hillside.

Small ships lay docked on the opposite side of the small camp. 

“Oh. Oh kriff. They’re up.”

Rose glanced up in surprise to see that Jannah was peering through her field glasses clearly trained on the landing field at the edge of the camp. 

“Finn and Zorii are awake?” Suddenly the bagged lunch was forgotten. 

“Yes ...and this is interesting.....it looks as though Rey just spotted them as well.”

“Um, do you wanna head back? Cause I kinda wanna head back.”

“Hold on... Rey was heading over there but now she’s stopped. She’s....she’s just standing there looking over at them.”

“Do they see her?”

“Doesn’t seem like it.”

“Wouldn’t they sense each other?”

“Finn and Rey? Yeah normally, but remember: Finn was doing all that research on how to reduce his connection to Rey in the force.”

“So, he really cut her off.”

It was silent while Jannah micro adjusted her magnification. 

“Zorii is...wow...”

“What?...Zorii is what?! Don’t just leave off with that and not tell me...”

“She isn’t wearing her helmet...”

“Uh, She stopped wearing that a while back. Old news.”

“...or her flight uniform.”

“What?”

“Relax. She’s wearing a short tunic and sandals.....and...she’s leaning into Finn like he’s her favorite snack.”

“Give me those.”

“Wait...he’s leaning back against the hull and she’s talking and he’s just listening. Stars, does that guy have a smile. Now she’s handing something to him...it’s her blasters. Ok, she just turned around and is saying something to him over her shoulder and...now she’s walking over toward the mess hall and Finn just went back inside.” 

“What about Rey?” 

“...Still just standing there, kind of peering around the edge of the supply building.”

“She’s spying on them, that’s kinda....”

“...Exactly what we’re doing?”

“Well, no. ‘We’ are monitoring a volatile situation among friends and coworkers. ‘She’ is perving on her ex-best friend and his new partner.”

“‘Perving’ might be a bit excessive.”

“C’mon we should head back and see them.”

“I know, I just.....”

“....you just stopped talking again.”

“Zorii’s back outside again, she’s carrying...looks like she grabbed food and is heading back to their ship.”

“And Rey?”

“Must you talk with food in your mouth?”

“Kriff off, if you’d stop hogging the binoculars I wouldn’t be asking.”

“Fine. Here. ...wait did you actually eat ate all the cookies?”

“Shshsh. Wait. You know you can zoom these closer, right?....oooh: Rey just left her hiding spot...she’s following Zorii but keeping out of her direct line of sight.”

“And you finished my sandwich?”

“Finn just came to the doorway and Zorii’s walking up the ramp. Correct that: she’s sashaying up the ramp.”

“What does that even mean?”

“You know ‘exactly’ what it means Miss: ‘excuse me while I swivel my hips when Poe is watching.’”

“I do not...”

“Woah.”

“‘Woah’ what?”

“They just met at the top of the ramp and he placed his hand in the small of her back and she...”

“Oh stars! They’re totally doing it!”

“Ok, let’s not jump to...”

“Rose. Seriously? How’d she react?”

“She didn’t react at all. Well... I guess she’s sort of leaning into him with her weight on one foot and his hand is still there.”

“They’re doing eachother.”

“Two people can be affectionate without it being a full on relationship.”

“Rose: she hands him her weapons, probably asks him to clean and recharge them for her, then she leaves to get them both breakfast, and he meets her at the door. That doesn’t sound like a couple to you?”

“Well yeah, I suppose it might but we won’t really know for certain until we can see them in person, which is why I think we should get back down there.”

“Fine. Since you inhaled your food and most of mine too we may as well. What’s Rey doing now?”

“Gone. Probably off training. She runs in the morning.”

..........

The loading ramp was still down when they got to the ship. Rose nudged Jannah to enter first. 

“Hello? Anybody home?” She called into the dim interior.

“Just go in.” Rose whisper hissed. 

“Wait, I’m not going to just barge in if they might be in there going at it.” Jannah whispered back tersely.

Both jumped when Finn appeared in the doorway looking surprised to see them. 

“Hey! Hi. ... uh, why are you guys just standing outside?” He waved them in. 

The ramp led up to the lower cargo hold which still contained supplies and gear from the last mission. Finn led them through to the living quarters and the small lounge that served the three small private cabins. 

Finn kept a clean ship. It was a holdover from his stormtrooper training they all knew. The remains of breakfast had already been cleared away and the low center table now contained tools for cleaning and repairing weaponry.

Finn had lately begun wearing one of Han’s spare blasters in a low thigh holster. The powerful DL-44 lay on the table near Zorii’s guns. Their designs a marked contrast from one another. Hers sleek and polished. His angular and edgy. Wiping his hands with a rag Finn gestured to the seats ringing the table.

“Didn’t think we’d see anybody so early.”

“I didn’t even hear you guys land last night.” Jannah commented.

“The storm was still howling when we touched down. We just powered down and called it a night. Figured to see everybody later in the morning. Didn’t figure on you two early birds.” He grinned tossing his rag at Rose. 

“Where’s Zorii?” Rose asked, innocently. 

The doors to the private cabins were on opposite sides of the lounge. A third, and smaller cabin was crammed in beside the galley. It was rarely used because the ship generally carried a two person crew. 

Jannah kicked Rose sofltly. They’d both heard a shuffle coming from the cabin to the right: Finn’s room. 

“Uh, she’s changing I think.” Finn answered flicking a glance toward the cabin door. 

Rose kicked Jannah back and bit her lip to stifle the grin pulling the corners of her mouth. 

Jannah looked toward the door and back at Finn with an arched eyebrow. 

Finn had picked up the holster and missed the look. 

“So, we can’t wait to hear about the mission.” Rose piped in, tossing the cleaning rag back at her friend. 

“Yeah, four days in this little tub. Pretty tight quarters.” Jannah joined in. 

“This ‘little tub,’” he tossed the rag at Jannah, “is a heavily modified VCX-100 with...”

“...We know Mr. Big Deal: ‘enhanced, upgraded, retrofitted, hand-polished, blah blah blah.” She hand gestured to suggest someone talking incessantly.

“...and it’s beautiful.” He finished with a reverential look on his face. 

Rose nudged Jannah again. They both understood how he felt about the ship. Given to him by a grateful community on a neighboring planet for his services. 

Finn had taken some time for himself immediately following the events on Exegol. He’d left with little word to anyone other than Poe and weeks later returned to them bruised and bandaged and flying this amazing little ship. 

Poe loved to tell the story of how Finn had taken some time away to unwind only to stumble into another mission. 

A businessman from the corporate sector, loosely affiliated with the resistance, had hired him to escort his children to the far end of the star system. And somewhere along the way there had been a kidnapping attempt. Poe knew more of the details including that their friend had been in a duel at one point and outdrew one of the more infamous duelists on the outer fringes. This, as much as anything, had contributed to Finn’s growing public notoriety. News had spread quickly through the circles where that sort of information mattered. Finn now had a certain reputation. 

He spoke little about it, preferring to lavish attention on the ship given to him by the businessman and his associates. 

There was a small sculpture attached to the ceiling made by the oldest of the three children. She’d asked him to keep it to remember them by and so he had. 

Rose’s reply was interrupted when the door to Finn’s cabin opened and Zorii stepped out. Rose and Jannah got up to welcome her with hugs. 

“Hey, Finn..you should probably go check in on Poe. He was talking about exploring an abandoned storage facility nearby.” Rose spoke over her shoulder. 

Jannah caught the wink. 

Rose wanted time to talk with Zorii. 

Finn thought it was a great idea and gathered up his holster and blaster before ducking out to go find Poe. 

As soon his boots were heard on the ramp Rose was whirled on Zorii and tugged her down onto the couch with her.

“Ok, now spill.”

“Rose!” Jannah scolded while dropping into the spot on the other side of the former spice runner. 

“Is that even true about the storage facility?” Zorii looked suspicious and glanced in the direction Finn had left. 

“Stop deflecting. Spill.”

“How old is she again?” Zorii turned to smirk at Jannah.

“I know, right? But seriously are you and Finn?...”

“Um..we..we’re friends.”

“Friends.” Rose gave her a look. 

“Yes. ‘Friends.’ And partners.” She said standing up and moving around the small lounge. It wasn’t terribly spacious but served its purpose. She and Finn had arranged the space sparingly. The small third cabin was outfitted with medical equipment. He’d accepted her offer to join him on missions and had quickly settled into a copilot role sharing equal duties and responsibilities on the ship.  
During one undercover mission she’d disclosed to him that she sometimes missed her work as a doctor. It had been Finn’s idea to convert the third cabin to a sickbay and Zorii had been thrilled. Now they had enhanced capability to assist and care for the injured on some of their rescue missions. 

“‘Paaartnerrs’. Riiight.” Rose drew the syllables out slowly. “So is that why you were using his cabin to change in?”

“He carried in our camping gear and had some of my things mixed in with his. What brought this up all of a sudden anyway?” Zorii had stepped over to her cabin door and opened it with a flourish, stepping back so they could see inside.  
Jannah and Rose craned their necks noting the very much lived in look of the private quarters. 

“Well, you know: small ship. Intimate conversations. Two hot people confined together.” Rose observed gesturing with a flailed hand in Zorii’s general direction. 

Zorii crossed the room to Finn’s door and opened it so they could look inside. Neat and tidy, yet lived in. 

“Separate quarters. Sorry to disappoint.” She grinned before disappearing into the hallway. “Be right back.”

When they heard her rummaging around in the galley Jannah leaned to quietly comment: “totally doing it.”

“Possibly....should we tell her about Rey?”

“What for? I mean: it’s not as though Rey’s going to freak out.”

“Except: she was spying on them and even followed Z...”

“...we picked these up in a tiny mountain village during the mission.” Zorii spoke stepping back into the room carrying a tray of baked goods. “Not exactly sure what they are but we couldn’t stop eating them. Finn made friends with the old man who baked them.”

“Of course he did.” Jannah thanked her and bit into the warm confection. 

“So you camped out?” Rose talked around her mouthful. “Kriff this is good.”

“Finn’s going to try to make them himself if he can find the ingredients here at the base. Yeah, we hiked into the interior mountain pass and camped on the slope of a volcano.”

“One tent?” Jannah asked before taking another bite. 

“Well yeah, one tent. We hiked in and spent two days monitoring activities in the village.”

“Probably a small, two person tent and isn’t it chilly there this time of year?” Jannah was licking her fingertips. 

“It got cold at night, we were packed in pretty tight...Rose you can take another if you like.” She offered noting the shorter woman’s intense focus on the tray. 

“So you and Finn were snuggled in for the night, camped out on the side of the volcano.” Jannah prompted.

“For two nights, we pinpointed the shipments of stimgrain arriving by antigrav sleds. We were able to stow way inside one and were able to slip inside the warehouse that was hidden inside the volcano. You’d never find it if you didn’t know it was there. We got inside, located the Bandarr captives, and smuggled them back out using an empty stimgrain sled heading back out. Hiking back to camp was pretty scary because we had to move a lot slower and didn’t know when someone would realize and come after us.”

“What kind of armament did you have?” Rose asked. 

“Just our sidearms. But the landscape made it impossible for them to hunt us from the air.”

“You snuggled for warmth didn’t you?” Rose asked grinning.

“Wha...?”

“In the tent. You snuggled together for warmth.”

“Well, maybe, yeah. But...”

“Did you share a sleeping bag too?”

“I..um..”

“You did!” Jannah shrieked. “I knew it.”

“You and Finn got it on!” Rose pointed a finger at her.

Zorii looked exasperated.

“Ok, alright. Fine. You are children by the way.”

“Details.” Rose had picked up another of the still warm baked goods.

Zorii rolled her eyes. “You cannot. tell. anyone. No one. Not even Poe.” She took a breath and continued. “Finn is kriffing amazing. And that’s all you’re getting.”

“I knew it.” Rose crowed happily.

“So are you, like, a couple now?” Jannah prodded. 

“Partners. We’re partners. And friends and...I think that’s enough. It’s good and I don’t want to jinx anything.” 

“So he’s really the Big Deal then?” Rose giggled, waggling her eyebrows.

“That’s hilarious but...yeah. He’s really, really talented. And we’ll leave it at that.”

.........

Poe piloted the speeder among the abandoned road, throwing the yoke left and right to avoid rubble and other obstacles. The jungle had reclaimed portions of the roadway. Fast growing vines stretched across the roadway and foliage hung down low and Poe had to carefully pick through. Occasionally Finn would stand to guide heavier limbs up and over the speeder’s open canopy. 

Eventually they reached the coordinates given to them by their contacts. 

Poe shut down the small craft and they sat looking out over the wind screen at the dark, weed choked entrance to what was clearly a former storage facility. 

“What do you think?” Poe asked staring ahead. 

“You thinking about traps?” Finn asked, also pondering the entrance. 

“I mean, I’d have sabotaged this. Wouldn’t you?”

“If I’d had time. Probably. Definitely.”

“Got any Jedi tricks ?”

“I don’t think that’s how the force works.”

“Maybe we should just throw a stick in there or an Ewok.”

“That’s incredibly uncool. I’m going in.”

“Oh. So that’s how it is?” Poe grinned at him. “The Big Deal just charges into strange, abandoned, and probably rigged structures now?”

“Ha. C’mon.” Finn climbed out of the little craft and approached the opening. 

“And hey, we haven’t talked about your mission with Zorii either buddy. Don’t think you’re getting off that easy.”

Finn didn’t respond but kept walking.

“I mean: I’m not concerned or anything. What we had was way in the past. She probably didn’t say anything about me did she?”

Finn ignored him and resettled the blaster in its holster. 

The opening was narrowed by overgrown vegetation and weeds. Now that he was closer he could see deeper into the opening and it was apparent that the jungle floor transitioned to smooth permacrete further inside. 

Ducking his head he entered with Poe following closely behind. 

“Ok so the source was good.” Poe had come to stand beside Finn looking around the storage facility. It was nothing special. Possibly the size of two small freighters. Generators sat quietly near the entrance and several crates lined a far wall. 

“Let’s poke around and then we can head back and let a retrieval team come back to collect anything useful.” Poe suggested.

Finn had set off toward the largest of several crates in the back. speeder bikes, two of them, along with ammo packs for the frame mounted guns. There weren’t any helmets visible but they might have been in separate crates. Cables, and conduits made up the bulk of the materials in other crates. Finn was about to head back when Poe called out from a nearby box. 

Walking over he saw what had made Poe react: slave collars. Shock enabled collars commonly used for the empire’s mining camps. 

The two friends exchanges looks. If this had been a mining site then there might be more significant discoveries elsewhere.

“You know Rey would love one of those bikes right?” Poe suggested.

“Thinking the same thing.”

“Make a nice present don’t you think?”

“From...me I suppose?” Finn knew where this was heading. 

“Nothing says: ‘hey look, I miss you, let’s be friends’ like a brand new speeder bike. Am I right?”

“She can have the bike Poe. And I never stopped being her friend.”

“It’s pretty weird though, right?” Poe asked.

“Is this why you wanted me along on this little treasure hunt?”

“No,...well, ok: maybe a little.”

Finn blew out a slow breath.

“It is different. But it’ll be fine, eventually. Right now she’s focusing on becoming a Jedi. And I’m busy keeping you out of trouble.” 

“Ha. I can’t be contained.” Poe nudged him before walking over to check a crate. 

“But seriously though:..”. Poe called out. “...what’s the deal with you and the spice runner?”

“Former spice runner. And nothing. She’s my partner. And by the way, she’s getting back to her medical roots. You should keep your ears open for hospital grade supplies.”

“These ears hear romance, buddy.”

“Romance.” Finn was looking back behind Poe and toward the rear of the facility. 

“Definitely romantic tones. I can’t believe you’re holding out on me, man. We are brothers you and me...” 

Poe was looking right at Finn when it happened and it still was too fast to follow. 

Finn’s right hand blurred down to his thigh and was up firing two bolts past Poe’s position. 

Poe crouched and spun around in time to see a reptilian humanoid drop it’s rifle and collapse unconscious to the ground.

Poe whirled back to Finn. 

“Stun? Your blaster is set to stun?”

Finn holstered his weapon and approached the would-be attacker.

“Stun gets it done.”

“I bet if Zorii were here you wouldn’t be so casual.” Poe toed the rifle further away from the humanoid’s hand. 

“Maybe. Check his pockets.”

“I’ll check his pockets, you crank that damned DL up to ‘serious’ in case he isn’t alone.”

“I’ve got an idea.” Finn trotted back over to one of the opened crates and returned with one of the collars. 

“You’re not seriously...” Poe started.

“Don’t be a nerf. We’ll just scare him. Maybe he’ll tell us what he’s doing here.”

“That’s...that’s actually a good idea. Give me that.” Finn handed the repulsive thing over to his friend. 

“How long til he wakes up?” Poe asked, taking a seat on a smaller crate. 

“Hard to say. Han made some pretty serious modifications to his gear and we don’t know that thing’s physiology....what?”

“You said ‘physiology.’ I’m just wondering how much ‘physiology’ got explored during your little missions with the former doctor...”

Poe was grinning. 

“...And I happen to know you requisitioned a ton of med gear for your tricked out ship.” 

“She’s a freaking doctor and it gives us way more ability to...”

“I know, I know: ‘help the sick and injured’ but I also happen to know that when you got back from the mission before last, Zorii’s cabin was full of supplies that wouldn’t fit in the hold and the lounge was filled with...”

“Alright. Alright.” Finn held up his hands. “You are insufferable.”

Poe’s grin spread wider. 

“We’ve gotten closer.” Finn offered. 

“Wait. That’s what you have to say?: ‘we’ve gotten closer.’”

“What do..” Finn started.

“...are you, or are you not, getting it on with Zorii ?!” Poe laughed, making an obscene hand gesture to clear up any remaining confusion.

“Stars, Poe. You are like a rathtar with a bone.” Finn got up to pace. 

“Look, you can’t go spreading this...”

“I knew it! I knew it! The moment she came to switch her operations status I knew she was in to you.”

“You’re a freaking detective first class Dameron.”

“So, like the whole time?..” Poe interrupted. 

“The ‘whole time’ what?”

“The two of you, getting it on, the whole time since she joined your missions?”

“No. Not the whole time. ..dude...it’s new. It’s new and...and it’s....special.”

Finn spoke so low that Poe immediately heard the importance.

“I think...I think she actually cares about me.” He spoke with such solemnity and wonder that Poe immediately ached for the younger man whose life had known so little kindness. 

“Buddy, of course she does. You’re you.” Poe finished simply. Not for the first time he wished he could find the bastards that ripped his friend from his family so long ago. 

“Just go slow, man. And take care of yourself too.” 

It was at that moment that their prisoner started to stir.

“Alright then,..” Poe turned, holding the collar up while Finn eased his weapon back out of the holster and stood next to Poe.

“How about you tell my friend and me just what you’re doing here, ok? And be quick about it. He’s got himself a hot little number waiting for him back in his cabin.”

“Dameron.”

**Author's Note:**

> Feedback is always appreciated. Happy to explore suggestions for future adventures.


End file.
